Microelectronic devices generally have a die (i.e., a chip) that includes integrated circuitry with a high density of very small components. In a typical process, a large number of dies are manufactured on a single wafer using many different processes that may be repeated at various stages (e.g., implanting, doping, photolithography, chemical vapor deposition, plasma vapor deposition, plating, planarizing, and etching). The dies typically include an array of very small bond-pads electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry. The bond-pads are external electrical contacts through which the supply voltage, signals, etc., are transmitted to and from the integrated circuitry. After forming the dies, the wafer is thinned by backgrinding, and then the dies are separated from one another (i.e., singulated) by dicing the wafer. Next, the dies are “packaged” to couple the bond-pads to a larger array of electrical terminals that can be more easily coupled to the various power supply lines, signal lines, and ground lines. Conventional processes for packaging dies include electrically coupling the bond-pads on the dies to an array of leads, ball-pads, or other types of electrical terminals, and then encapsulating the dies to protect them from environmental factors (e.g., moisture, particulates, static electricity, and physical impact).
Different types of dies may have widely different bond pad arrangements, and yet should be compatible with similar external devices. Accordingly, existing packaging techniques can include forming a redistribution layer (RDL) on the die. The RDL includes lines and/or vias that connect the die bond pads with RDL bond pads, which are in turn arranged to mate with the bond pads of external devices. The RDL is typically formed directly on the die using deposition and lithography techniques.
One drawback with the foregoing RDL formation technique is that it may not be an economical process for certain types of dies. For example, imager dies typically include image sensors on the front side of the die and bond pads positioned on the back side of the die, so that connections to the bond pads do not interfere with the operation of the image sensors. However, the lithography techniques and other conventional semiconductor processes employed for forming RDLs are typically performed on the front side of the die, and adjusting these techniques to provide for the proper alignment of features on the back side of the die can require special tooling and/or techniques that increase the cost of forming the RDL. Accordingly, there is a need for lower cost RDL formation techniques that may be applicable to a wide variety of die types.